Music Box of Horrors 2026

About This Event

24-hour horror movie marathon with special guests and vendors.

This one's got real pedigree: Chicago's had a 24-hour horror marathon running every October since 2005, back when it went by The Music Box Massacre. The event split from the Music Box in 2012 — the original organizer took the Massacre name elsewhere, and the theater kept the tradition going under its own roof as the Music Box of Horrors.

Expect a dozen-plus horror films (35mm and digital) run back-to-back with no breaks, trivia and giveaways between pictures, food trucks parked outside, and vendors selling horror merch in the lobby all night. Worth knowing: passes sell out fast and aren't sold per film — it's an all-in overnight ticket, so budget for the full 24 hours if you're going.